Related Stories

A majority of Ontarians find their hydro bills “very unreasonable” and fear selling off Hydro One will only force electricity prices higher, a new Angus Reid Institute poll found.

That concern helps explain why the same poll pegged Premier Kathleen Wynne’s approval rating at a rather shockingly low 12%.

Shachi Kurl, executive director of the Angus Reid Institute, said Wynne’s rating has been dropping since it hit a high of 41% in September, 2014.

“Over the years, watching approval ratings for premiers, I have seen them resign when their numbers get below 19%,” Kurl said. “One of the strengths that she is able to rely on is the fact that — for the time being — her caucus is with her. This isn’t translating into knife fights in the backrooms or the back corridors among Liberal caucus members. Not yet.”

Wynne and her Liberal government have been under public pressure to do something about rising hydro rates, and earlier this month, announced steps to lower bills by 25%.

Six in 10 Ontarians polled say the government’s plan to reduce rates, by refinancing hydro debt and cancelling the provincial portion of the HST on hydro bills, will be important as they decide who to vote for in the 2018 election.

However, the price of hydro and the sale of Hydro One shares are even more pressing an issue.

The poll found that 82% of Ontarians are moderately or strongly opposed to selling shares of Hydro One to private investors, something the Wynne government has already begun to do.

Although the Ontario government has gone to great lengths to argue that the sale of shares in Hydro One will not raise prices, and that it will likely make the giant utility even more efficient, that message isn’t resonating with voters, Kurl said.

Three in four Ontarians say the sale will only push up prices, and 74% already think their bills are “fairly” or “very” unreasonable.

“When you see that hardened level of opinion on an issue, it’s one that clearly has been something of a red rag to a bull in the minds of Ontarians,” Kurl said.

Polling shows energy and electricity are starting to dominate as issues of concern for voters in Ontario, much like jobs or health care, with eight in 10 saying it will be top of mind when the next election campaign rolls around, she said.

And now “leadership” is trending as a top three issue for Ontarians, she said.

“So the big question is can the Wynne government, can Kathleen Wynne, turn this around and does this rate cut that will amount to a 25% reduction, will this take the temperature down,” Kurl said.

Angus Reid surveyed 5,404 Canadian adults, and the Ontario findings carry a margin of error of 3.5%, 19 times out of 20.